Method for cutting a tube segment from a tube

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a method for cutting a tube segment ( 1 ) from a tube, said tube being provided with an inner tube ( 2 ) and an outer tube casing ( 3 ) surrounding the inner tube ( 2 ). Said the tube segment ( 1 ) is separated from the tube, by means of a cutting tool, at a cutting point in a cutting plane oriented transversely to the longitudinal extension of the tube. The tube casing ( 3 ) of the tube is surrounded by a separable tube retainer ( 4 ), which covers the provided cutting point before the tube segment ( 1 ) is separated from the tube, by means of the cutting tool, at the cutting point, wherein the tube retainer ( 4 ) completely surrounds the outer tube casing ( 3 ) in a peripheral direction. Said claimed method and tube segment produced according to said method are characterised in that the tube retainer ( 4 ) is fixed to the tube casing ( 3 ), and/or the tube surrounded by the tube retainer ( 4 ) is separated by means of the cutting tool such that a relative displacement of the tube retainer ( 4 ) with respect to the tube casing ( 3 ), that is, of the tube casing ( 3 ) with respect to the inner tube ( 2 ), is prevented.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a §371 National Phase of PCT/EP2013/002401, filed Aug. 9, 2013, which claims the benefit of the U.S. provisional application No. 61/694,839 filed on 30 Aug. 2012 and that of the U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/597,731 filed on 29 Aug. 2012, and is a continuation-in-part application of the U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/775,890 filed on 11 Jul. 2007; the complete disclosures of said documents are hereby expressly included.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a method for cutting a hose segment to length from a hose, which hose has an inner hose and an outer hose casing surrounding the inner hose, wherein the hose segment is separated from the hose in a cutting plane oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of said hose by means of a cutting tool at a cutting point, wherein the hose casing of the hose is ensheathed with a severable hose fixing means which covers the intended cutting point before the hose segment is separated from the hose at the cutting point by means of the cutting tool, wherein the hose fixing means fully surrounds the outer hose casing in a circumferential direction, and wherein the hose fixing means is fixed on the hose casing, and/or the hose surrounded by the hose fixing means is severed by means of the cutting tool, in such a way that a relative displacement of the hose fixing means with respect to the hose casing and/or of the hose casing with respect to the inner hose is prevented.

The invention also relates to a hose segment having an inner hose and having an outer hose casing surrounding the inner hose, which hose casing is ensheathed by a cut-to-length, severable hose fixing means which extends as far as a cutting plane formed by a face end of the hose segment and oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of the hose segment and which at least fully surrounds the outer hose casing in a circumferential direction with a wrap angle of at least 360°, wherein the hose fixing means is fixed on the outer hose casing such that a relative displacement of the hose fixing means with respect to the hose casing and/or of the hose casing with respect to the inner hose is prevented.

BACKGROUND

US 2008/0016936 A1 has already disclosed a method of the type mentioned in the introduction which is used for cutting a hose segment to length from a hose, which hose has an inner hose and an outer hose casing which surrounds the inner hose and which is in the form of a meshwork formed from metal or plastics strands. To be able to separate the hose segment from the hose in a cutting plane oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of the hose by means of a cutting tool at a cutting point, the known method makes provision for the hose casing of the hose to be ensheathed with a severable hose fixing means which covers the intended cutting point before the hose segment is separated from the hose at the cutting point by means of the cutting tool. The known method duly prevents individual metal or plastics strands of the meshwork provided as a hose casing from being able to become snagged when a clamping sleeve is pushed onto the hose segment that has been cut to length in this way; normally, however, said clamping sleeves have a clamping sleeve internal diameter which is matched to the external diameter of the hose segment, with the result that, as the clamping sleeve is pushed on, there is the risk of the hose fixing means being pushed back relative to the hose casing, and additionally or instead the hose casing being pushed back relative to the inner hose, with the consequential result that the clamping sleeve is not held adequately securely and firmly on the corresponding end of the hose segment. By contrast, if the clamping sleeve is produced with an internal diameter which is significantly larger than the external diameter of the hose meshwork, in order to realize a large radial spacing between said parts and prevent the meshwork ends from colliding with the clamping sleeve during the pushing-on process, said large radial spacing has a disadvantageous effect during the subsequent crimping process.

It is therefore the object in particular to improve the method mentioned in the introduction so as to minimize the risk of the hose fixing means being displaced relative to the hose casing, or of the hose casing being displaced relative to the inner hose, when a hose end piece is pushed on.

It is a further object to provide a hose segment of the type mentioned in the introduction which minimizes the risk of the hose fixing means being displaced relative to the hose casing, or of the hose casing being displaced relative to the inner hose, when a hose end piece is pushed on.

SUMMARY

In the case of the method and the hose segment of the type mentioned in the introduction, said object is achieved according to the invention in that the hose fixing means in the form of an adhesive tape which is adhesive on one side has a middle part which fully surrounds the hose and which is adjoined at both sides by hose fixing end parts, in that the hose fixing end parts bear with their adhesive surfaces against one another, and in that the hose fixing end parts, bearing with their adhesive surfaces against one another, are laid against the hose such that the adhesive surface of one of the hose fixing end parts is, by way of a subregion protruding beyond the other hose fixing end part, held adhesively on the hose or on the hose segment.

It is also the case in the method according to the invention that, before a hose segment is cut to length, the hose casing is ensheathed with a severable hose fixing means which covers the intended cutting point before the hose segment is severed from the hose at the cutting point by means of the cutting tool. Here, the method according to the invention provides that the hose fixing means fully surrounds the outer hose casing in a circumferential direction and thus covers or wraps around the hose casing at least over 360° of the circumference. Here, the hose fixing means is fixed on the hose casing, and/or the hose surrounded by the hose fixing means is severed by means of a cutting tool, in such a way that a relative displacement of the hose fixing means with respect to the hose casing and/or of the hose casing with respect to the inner hose is prevented.

The hose segment according to the invention has an inner hose and an outer hose casing surrounding the inner hose. Said hose casing is ensheathed by a cut-to-length, severable hose fixing means which extends as far as a cutting plane formed by a face end of the hose segment and oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of the hose segment. Said hose fixing means at least fully surrounds the outer hose casing in a circumferential direction with a wrap angle of at least 360°. Here, the hose fixing means is fixed on the outer hose casing such that a relative displacement of the hose fixing means with respect to the hose casing and/or of the hose casing with respect to the inner hose is prevented.

To now make it significantly easier for a hose fixing means to be applied to a hose, it is provided according to the invention that the hose fixing means in the form of an adhesive tape which is adhesive on one side has a middle part which fully surrounds the hose and which is adjoined at both sides by hose fixing end parts, in that the hose fixing end parts bear with their adhesive surfaces against one another, and in that the hose fixing end parts, bearing with their adhesive surfaces against one another, are laid against the hose such that the adhesive surface of one of the hose fixing end parts is, by way of a subregion protruding beyond the other hose fixing end part, held adhesively on the hose or on the hose segment.

The exemplary embodiments described below can be realized in an advantageous manner both with the method according to the invention and also in the case of the hose segment according to the invention:

In order, during the cutting to length of the hose segment, to eliminate undesired transverse forces which could cause a displacement of the hose fixing means relative to the hose casing or even of the hose casing relative to the inner hose at least in an axial direction, a refining embodiment of the invention provides that the hose is cut to length by means of a cutting blade which serves as a cutting tool and which is guided approximately perpendicularly with respect to the hose longitudinal direction. By means of a cutting blade of said type which is guided approximately perpendicularly with respect to the hose longitudinal direction, the hose segment can be cut to length from the hose at the desired cutting point in an effective manner.

It is however also possible for the hose to be cut to length by means of a cutting tool which generates cutting heat, specifically preferably in such a way that the plastics material, which becomes pasty under the action of the cutting heat, of at least one of the constituents: hose fixing means, hose casing and/or inner hose adhesively bonds, melts or fixes in a similar manner, at least in regions, at least one of the adjacent constituents in order to secure the relative position between the hose casing and the inner hose. If a hose casing produced for example from plastics strands is cut to length by means of such a cutting tool that generates cutting heat, it is possible for the plastics material of the plastics strands, which becomes pasty under the action of the cutting heat, to adhesively bond and/or fuse to the hose casing and/or to the inner hose such that a relative displacement of said constituents at least in an axial direction is prevented.

A preferred embodiment of the invention provides that a clamping sleeve, a crimp sleeve or a sleeve-shaped hose end piece is pushed onto that end of the hose segment which is secured by the hose fixing means, and that the hose fixing means protrudes beyond the inner end of the clamping sleeve, crimp sleeve or the hose end piece and forms a kink prevention means.

Refinements of the invention will emerge from the figures in conjunction with the claims and the description. The invention will be described in yet more detail below on the basis of preferred exemplary embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the figures:

FIGS. 1 to 4 show individual method steps of a method specified for cutting a hose segment to length, wherein a hose fixing means in the form of an adhesive tape is applied to the hose to be cut to length, which hose fixing means has a middle part which fully surrounds the hose and which is adjoined at both sides by hose end parts,

FIGS. 5 and 6 show a hose fixing means which protrudes beyond a hose end piece and which serves as a kink prevention means, in a side view (FIG. 5) and in a perspective illustration (FIG. 6),

FIGS. 7 and 8 show the method steps for cutting a hose segment to length, wherein in this case, a guillotine-like cutting tool is used which, during the cutting process, is guided approximately perpendicularly to the hose longitudinal direction,

FIGS. 9 and 10 show the method steps specified for cutting a hose segment to length, wherein, in this case, the hose is cut to length by means of a cutting tool which generates cutting heat, and

FIG. 11 shows a hose that has been prepared for the cutting to length of a hose segment, which hose, in the region of the intended cutting point, is formed as a hose encapsulation which fully surrounds the hose in a circumferential direction in a sub-section.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIGS. 1 to 11 illustrate different variants of a method according to the invention which is specified for cutting a hose segment 1 to length from a flexible hose and for the production of a cut-to-length hose segment 1. The hose used for the hose segment 1 has an inner hose 2 and an outer hose casing 3 surrounding the inner hose 2. The hose casing 3 is in this case in the form of a meshwork produced using interwoven metal or plastics strands. It is also possible to use a hybrid meshwork, the meshwork strands of which are composed, in part, of plastic and, in part, of metal.

The hose segment 1 which is required for example for the production of a hose segment in the form of a flexible sanitary hose line is separated from the hose in a cutting plane oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of said hose by means of a cutting tool at a cutting point. For this purpose, the hose casing 3 is ensheathed with a severable hose fixing means 4 which covers the intended cutting point before the hose segment 1 is separated from the hose at the cutting point by means of the cutting tool.

Sanitary hose lines normally have, at both face ends, a sleeve-shaped hose end piece 5, which is for example also in the form of a clamping or crimping sleeve (cf. FIGS. 5 and 6). Since the clear sleeve internal diameter of a hose end piece 5 of said type approximately corresponds to the external diameter of the hose casing 3, which is in particular equipped with a hose fixing means 4, it is the object to minimize the risk of the hose fixing means 4 being displaced relative to the hose casing 3, or the hose casing 3 being displaced relative to the inner hose 2, when a hose end piece 5 is pushed on.

To achieve said object, it is provided in the case of the method variants presented here that the hose fixing means 5 fully surrounds the outer hose encapsulation 3 in a circumferential direction and is fixed thereon, and/or the hose surrounded by the hose fixing means 4 is severed by means of the cutting tool, in such a way that a relative displacement of the hose fixing means 4 with respect to the hose casing 3 and/or of the hose casing 3 with respect to the inner hose 2 is prevented.

FIGS. 1 to 4 illustrate the method according to the invention, in which the hose fixing means 4 is formed by an adhesive tape which is adhesive on one side. An adhesive tape which serves as a hose fixing means 4 can be positioned on and applied to practically any location on a hose, which may possibly also be of a great length. Furthermore, an adhesive tape which is adhesive on one side offers the advantage that the adhesive tape can be pulled tightly onto the hose such that the adhesive tape which serves as a hose fixing means 4 fixes on the hose casing 3, and fixes the hose casing 3 on the inner hose 2, and an inadvertent relative displacement of said constituents 2, 3 and 4 is prevented.

In the case of the approach shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the hose fixing means 4 which is in the form of an adhesive tape has a middle part 6 which fully surrounds the hose and which is adjoined at both sides by hose fixing end parts 7, 8. Said hose fixing end parts 7, 8 bear with their adhesive surfaces 9 against one another, wherein the hose fixing end parts 7, 8, bearing against one another with their adhesive surfaces 9, are laid against the hose such that the adhesive surface 9 of one of the hose fixing end parts 7, 8 is, by way of a subregion protruding beyond the other hose fixing end part 8, 7, held adhesively on the hose or on the hose segment 1.

Since it is thus ensured that the hose fixing end parts 7, 8 do not protrude beyond the hose in a disruptive manner, a hose end piece 5 can be easily pushed on over the face end of a hose.

FIGS. 5 and 6 are intended to illustrate that the width of the hose fixing means 4 in the longitudinal direction of the hose may be dimensioned such that the hose fixing means 4, which protrudes beyond the inner end of the hose end piece 5, forms a kink prevention means.

In FIGS. 7 to 10, it is shown that the hose that is fully surrounded by the hose fixing means 4 can be severed by means of the cutting tool such that a relative displacement of the hose fixing means 4 with respect to the hose casing 3 and/or of the hose casing 3 with respect to the inner hose 2 is prevented. For this purpose, it is provided in FIGS. 7 and 8 that the hose is cut to length by means of a cutting blade 12 which serves as a cutting tool and which is guided approximately perpendicularly to the hose longitudinal axis.

In the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10, the hose is cut to length by means of a cutting tool 13 which generates cutting heat, specifically in such a way that the plastics material, which becomes pasty under the action of the cutting heat, of at least one of the constituents: hose fixing means 4, hose casing 3 and/or inner hose 2 adhesively bonds or fuses at least in regions to at least one of the adjacent constituents 2, 3, 4. Instead of the, in this case, soldering iron-like cutting tool 13, use may if appropriate be made of a laser apparatus with a laser beam that likewise generates cutting heat.

FIG. 11 shows that the hose fixing means 4 may also be formed, by means of injection molding, as a hose sheath which fully surrounds the hose casing 3 in a circumferential direction in a sub-section.

Regardless of whether an adhesive tape, a shrink-fit hose or a hose sheath produced by means of injection molding is used for the hose fixing means 4, it is expedient for the hose fixing means to have a small thickness, and preferably a thickness of 0.5/100th to 8/100th mm. 

1. A method for cutting a hose segment (1) to length from a hose, said hose has an inner hose (2) and an outer hose casing (3) surrounding the inner hose (2), wherein the hose segment (1) is separated from the hose in a cutting plane oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of said hose by means of a cutting tool at a cutting point, wherein the hose casing (3) of the hose is ensheathed with a severable hose fixing means (4) which covers the intended cutting point before the hose segment (1) is separated from the hose at the cutting point by means of the cutting tool, wherein the hose fixing means (4) fully surrounds the outer hose casing (3) in a circumferential direction, and wherein the hose fixing means (4) is fixed on the hose casing (3), and/or the hose surrounded by the hose fixing means (4) is severed by means of the cutting tool, in such a way that a relative displacement of the hose fixing means (4) with respect to the hose casing (3) and/or of the hose casing (3) with respect to the inner hose (2) is prevented, wherein the hose fixing means (4) in the form of an adhesive tape which is adhesive on one side has a middle part (6) which fully surrounds the hose and which is adjoined at both sides by hose fixing end parts (7, 8), in that the hose fixing end parts (7, 8) bear with their adhesive surfaces (9) against one another, and in that the hose fixing end parts (7, 8), bearing with their adhesive surfaces (9) against one another, are laid against the hose such that the adhesive surface (9) of one of the hose fixing end parts (7, 8) is, by way of a subregion protruding beyond the other hose fixing end part (7, 8), held adhesively on the hose or on the hose segment.
 2. A hose segment (1) having an inner hose (2) and having an outer hose casing (3) surrounding the inner hose (2), said hose casing (3) is ensheathed by a cut-to-length, severable hose fixing means (4) which extends as far as a cutting plane formed by a face end of the hose segment and oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of the hose segment (1), and which at least fully surrounds the outer hose casing (3) in a circumferential direction with a wrap angle of at least 360°, wherein the hose fixing means (4) is fixed on the outer hose casing (3) such that a relative displacement of the hose fixing means (4) with respect to the hose casing (3) and/or of the hose casing (3) with respect to the inner hose (2) is prevented, wherein the hose fixing means (4) in the form of an adhesive tape which is adhesive on one side has a middle part (6) which fully surrounds the hose and which is adjoined at both sides by hose fixing end parts (7, 8), in that the hose fixing end parts (7, 8) bear with their adhesive surfaces (9) against one another, and in that the hose fixing end parts (7, 8), bearing with their adhesive surfaces (9) against one another, are laid against the hose such that the adhesive surface (9) of one of the hose fixing end parts (7, 8) is, by way of a subregion protruding beyond the other hose fixing end part (7, 8), held adhesively on the hose or on the hose segment.
 3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hose is cut to length by means of a cutting blade (12) which serves as a cutting tool and which is guided approximately perpendicularly with respect to the hose longitudinal direction.
 4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a clamping sleeve, a crimp sleeve or similar hose end piece (5) is pushed onto an end of the hose segment (1) which is secured by the hose fixing means (4), and the hose fixing means (4) protrudes beyond the inner end of the hose end piece (5) and forms a kink prevention means.
 5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hose is cut to length by means of a cutting tool (13) which generates cutting heat, in such a way that plastic material, which becomes pasty under action of the cutting heat, of at least one of the constituents: hose fixing means (4), hose casing (3) and/or inner hose (2), fixes at least in regions to at least one of the adjacent constituents (2, 3, 4).
 6. The hose segment as claimed in claim 2, wherein the hose is cut to length by means of a cutting blade (12) which serves as a cutting tool and which is guided approximately perpendicularly with respect to the hose longitudinal direction.
 7. The hose segment as claimed in claim 2, wherein a clamping sleeve, a crimp sleeve or similar hose end piece (5) is pushed onto an end of the hose segment (1) which is secured by the hose fixing means (4), and the hose fixing means (4) protrudes beyond the inner end of the hose end piece (5) and forms a kink prevention means.
 8. The hose segment as claimed in claim 2, wherein the hose is cut to length by means of a cutting tool (13) which generates cutting heat in such a way that plastic material, which becomes pasty under action of the cutting heat, of at least one of the constituents: hose fixing means (4), hose casing (3) and/or inner hose (2), fixes at least in regions to at least one of the adjacent constituents (2, 3, 4). 